In The Future
by Military Mechanic
Summary: Every year, Percy writes a letter. One for each time that he's at Hogwarts, so seven in total. Each one is addressed to the same person - himself, years in the future. In it, he writes what he would never say to anyone in reality. Only what he would already know. for the harry potter fanfiction challenge forum


A/N: Hello there! This was written for the "My Future Self Competion" over on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge forum. It was a load of fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

Future-self,

If Billy doesn't stop picking on me in a few years, I give you full allowance to swat him. Hard. In the rear. Just yesterday he got into the first year dorm and jinxed my sheets pink! Pink! Everyone here had a fit, and it's all they spoke about at breakfast.

Prats, the lot of them.

Charlie's just as bad, what with always poking fun of the fact that I do well. How is that even something they get to do? It's school. You're supposed to study. That's what mum always said.

...I actually kind of thought that they'd be happy with me, you know? For doing well. I know mum is always telling Bill and Charlie to pull their grades up. So why isn't everyone proud that I've got good grades at the start of it all? Do they change later, future-self? Does it get better having two older brothers?

I don't see how it can. At least mum and dad pay attention to me, still. They don't do much with Bill or Charley anymore, except scold them. I'm glad that I'm a youngest child, even if it does mean I get stuck in their hand-me-downs.

That's the first thing that you should do when you get money, you know! Buy yourself some new clothes. Something nice, like, uh, like a suit! With stripes, because Suzy Greene told me that I looked good in them the other day.

Huh. I don't really know what else to write, except that this doesn't have a whole lot to do with Transfiguration, which is weird because Professor McGonnagal is alway really good at keeping things on subject. So I guess that means I'm done here?

Don't let anyone push you around, future-self!

From Percy Weasley, age eleven, First Year

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Future-self,

We have to write these letters again. She says we have to do it every year, until we graduate. That it's good for us to "remember how we were". I think she means so we can remember what it was like to be a kid, when we get older and have too many other things on our mind to remember it clearly.

So, I guess I could talk about mum even though I think that I'll remember it really clearly. She's going to have another baby. A boy, she says, but I'm not going to be there to see it. Charley gets too, but mum says I have to stay here at Hogwarts. Dad said so too, which made it just that much worse.

They team up on me a lot, you know. Or, on us. Do they still do it in the future? If they do, you should do something to get back at them. Like, turn Charley's paper mache dragons into something really gross! You'll be able to do that, won't you?

My magic still isn't really good. I think that's why mum's stopped paying attention to when I get good grades on essays and things. I'm not great at the practical part of it, even easy things like Transfiguration. I just...get the wand-movement wrong. I don't want to ask Bill or Charley for help though, because they'll just make fun of me for it.

People do that enough, already. So, I guess that I'm just stuck here trying to work it out on my own.

It sucks not having friends, older me.

From Percy Weasely, age twelve, Second Year

-x-x-x-x-

Future-self,

The twins are hardly in their second year, and mum's talking about having another kid. I don't understand why really, because we don't have the money for it. As it is, everyone's in hand-me-down's and thrift store clothes. Bill's graduated and so's Charley, which means everyone's focusing on me now.

On my clothes - which have been patched and mended, but not with proper skill so they _look_ patchy.

On the fact that I spend most of my time studying. Which I still don't understand why people look down on that. It's school. You're here to study. To learn. But when I try to do that, the other Gryffindor's laugh at me and call me names. I hate it, and I'm starting to hate this school as well.

Professor McGonnagal is insisting that I get a tutor for her class. She says that while I've got really good practical work, my wand-work leaves a lot to be desired. I can't say that I disagree with her but, really, that's the last thing that I need. The only Gryffindor in my year with a tutor.

Bullocks. Maybe I shouldn't worry about my schooling so much. No one else in my family does.

As it is, I've got Oliver Wood as my tutor. He's in Fourth Year, and we haven't spoken much. I think that he's on the Quidditch team, which is just grand because most of the players poke fun at me for not being interested in flying. Excuse me for not being a stereotypical Gryffindor, I told the hat that I'd be better off somewhere.

Life isn't like this with you, is it? Because if it stays like this, then I don't know what's worth it. Not a lot, I wouldn't think.

From Percy Weasely, age thirteen, Third Year

-x-x-x-x-

Future-self,

The only thing good that's happened this year (and it's almost Hols now, so I can't see it getting much better) are my tutoring sessions. Last year I wouldn't have thought that they would bring about anything good, and they didn't for the most part.

I still get poked fun at over them, but I'm better at ignoring it now. Besides, it's worth it. Not just for my improved grades either but, oh, future-me. If you ever get the chance to just spend time with Oliver, then snatch it up before it's gone. I swear, he's about the only person I'm friends with here.

Last month he even asked me to come watch him play, when the quidditch team went up against the Ravenclaw's. I hate the sport, because I'm bad at it and it just doesn't make sense to me but...I loved watching _him_ fly, FS. He gets this look on his face, like nothing in the world could distract him from the game and his job in it. Like...Like nothing that I've ever seen before.

We talk a lot, too. Not just during tutoring sessions but, for the first time ever, I have someone to eat lunch with that isn't my family. Oliver actually listens when I talk, cares about my grades, sees something in me that no one else does.

And I know full well that if I ever tell mum this, it's just going to be one more way for me to fail her.

I seem to do that a lot, lately. Let her down, I mean. She's down right mad that I've decided to go into the Ministry - Oliver is too, but he understands why I'm doing that, instead of a Charms position somewhere. Our family needs the money, and no one else is bringing it in. So that means that I've got too.

You know me, FS. I'm not out here asking for thanks but...Some kind of recognition would be nice. Or atleast if Bill and Charley would stop frowning at me over it. The twins heckle me a lot, too. Think I spend too much time with my nose shoved in a book.

Oliver's the only one that understands me, and I love that and hate it at the same time. You're older, you won't have this issue. You should spend time with him. Me? I don't know what I should do.

From Percy Weasely, age fourteen, Fourth Year

-x-x-x-x-

Future-self,

It's Ron's first year, this time around. Ginny starts next year. So they're getting all the attention from mum, and what they don't get is going towards setting the twins on a decent path. I'm just like an extra child that mum feeds because she's obliged too.

But that's fine, because I don't feel like I need their approval anymore. I'm still joining the Ministry, and I'll send them the money I make. Aside from that, I'm doing what I want to do.

That's why I'm going to ask Oliver out tomorrow. Good or bad, it's not something that you should ever forget, FS. He's been a defining part of my life this year, and I don't think that I would have come back to Hogwarts if it weren't for him.

I'm eager to get to bed, so I'm ending this here. It's just a memento as to what's going to happen tomorrow.

I think I'm in love.

From Percy Weasely, age fifteen, Fifth Year

-x-x-x-x-

Future-self,

Picking up where my letter left off last time, Oliver said yes. Of course, you'll know that now. You'll also know everything that's going on right now when it comes to the Dark Lord, Minister Fudge, and Harry Potter.

I'm not sure what to do or what side to go with. Either way, someone's going to hate me.

But I have Oliver with me, so that's a good point at least. You listen to me, FS, and you listen good. If you let him go, then you're the biggest fool out there. That man is my soul-mate, I'm positive of it! Everything he does, it just feels right. So completely familiar, like he's the missing piece that I've been looking for all these years. He'll say my name, "Perce" he calls me, and my heart starts beating double; my breath catches in my throat; even after a year, it's still all I can do to answer him.

I like to think that he feels the same way about me. You know those little smiles that he gives us? Where you can see his front teeth and dimples form around his cheeks? I like to think that means he feels the same. One day, you should ask him. Later on, when school's over and we're out of this mess. I think it will be worth it.

If not...If this doesn't work out...The thought scares me, FS. Oliver is all that I have right now. If he grows out of me...I don't know what I would do. I should tell you to work through it and move on, but, right now, I don't think that I can say it.

So, I guess all I can tell you is to stay interesting and not to let things get boring. Chase him, if you have too. Just - just don't let go, alright? And don't give up, either.

From Percy Weasely, age sixteen, Sixth Year

-x-x-x-x-

I hate them. All of them. And I hate myself, too. For doing this. For not being able to let go of them as easily as they've let go of me. You understand, FS, because you're me. Just older, and hopefully less reliant on the approval of my family.

They kicked me out yesterday. Mum did, I mean. Through a letter. She says when school's over, I can just find somewhere else to go.

I haven't told anyone yet, and I don't think she has either. Mum's not the kind to do that. She'll wait and see if I make amends with her, and if I don't she'll let the family see things as they wish.

That means that Ron, and everyone else, will hate me. And they're going to hate me because I'm trying to support them through means of the Ministry. Ironic, isn't it?

Here, in Hogwarts, the other students have gone back to ignoring me or silently hating me. I'm back to eating on my own, studying on my own, sleeping on my own - because Oli and I, we were sharing the same bed at the end of last year. He'd slip into my dorm or I would slip into his or we would crash on the couch in the common room, and we'd just lay there next to each other, like everything was fine.

But last year was when Oli graduated from Hogwarts. He's got a job on the pitch over in Buxburry, and we owl each other all the time. But he's busy and so am I and, even if we weren't, it wouldn't be the same as having him here.

I'm cold at night, and I'm lonely.

I'm scared, too.

Not swayed in the slightest, though. When I finish here, I'll get my stuff from the Burrow. Then I'll find _somewhere_ and I'll get a job at the Ministry. Half my check will go back home, and I'm sure I'll figure out how to get it there without mum throwing a fit or the others finding out. Eventually.

At the moment, I'm just trying to get through this year. It's my last time writing to you, FS, so I've got one thing to tell you. The next time you see Oli, you hug him and tell him you love him. We wouldn't make it to your age if he weren't there.

-Percy


End file.
